Police in Mpigi District have blamed the increasing cases of murder targeting elderly women on youth who abuse drugs and alcohol.
According to Mr John Baptist Kasango, the officer in charge of Buwama Police Station, their preliminary investigations reveal that there is a gang of youth operating in the district, targeting elderly women.
The gang members, according to police, rape and kill their victims.
The revelation comes after the raping and killing of three elderly women in two separate incidents early this week in Buwama Sub-county.
“We are yet to get the exact cause of these killings, but preliminary investigations show that the attackers use opium and waragi samples which are found at most scenes of crime,” Mr Kasango said.
Last Monday, a 63-year-old woman identified as Betty Nakyanzi, a resident of Kasubikamu village in Bongole Parish, was allegedly raped and later killed by thugs.
One suspect has been arrested in connection with the crime and charged with murder.
Another incident happened at Lwabenge Village in Ssango Parish where two elderly women were killed.
Mr Kasango identified the deceased as Mukangoga Nalongo, 70 and Blaria Nyinakabanja, 65, who were staying in the same house.
According to Mr Joseph Kironde, the village defense secretary the two were found dead on Thursday by a neigbour who had gone to their home to borrow a matchbox.
Police took the bodies to Mulago National Referral Hospital for a postmortem as investigations go on.
Since the beginning of this month, at least five elderly women have been murdered under unclear circumstances in the district.
Local leaders say at least one woman is attacked and raped after every two weeks. Some have lost lives while others have been injured by their attackers.
Mr David Kasozi, a councillor of Mbizzinya Parish and former Sub-county defense secretary said: “A total of 26 elderly women were killed in our area between 2014 and 2015.”
Mr Frank Kasule, the chairperson Buwama Sub- county decried the rising crime but blamed it on what he described as police negligence.